Field study Mali 2006-2007

Host partner: IFDC Mali

Other partners : ADAF Gallé (Association pour le Développement des Activités de Formation et de Production Gallé) - AMEDD (Association Malienne d’Eveil pour le Développement Durable) - AOPP (Association des Organisations Professionnelles Paysannes) - APCAM (Assemblée Permanente des Chambres d'Agriculture du Mali) -DNA (Direction Nationale de l'Agriculture) - IFDC Mali - IPR Katibougou (Institut Polytechnique Rural de Katibougou)

Topic: Maize cluster

Location: Circle of Koutiala

ICRA Working Document Series number: 131

Context: Maize, a much valued cereal due to its high yield and earliness during the hunger gap is cropped by most farmers in the Koutiala Circle but faces stiff competitivity.

Objectives: To contribute to the development and promotion of the maize cluster by applying ARD tools in order to improve its competitivity.

Outputs: The competitivity of the maize cluster in the Koutiala Circle strictly implies the implementation of an action plan designed by all stakeholders willing to promote this cluster. This action plan aims at optimizing its assets by better responding to existing constraints.

Team members

Name	Institute	Discipline
Joseph Diarra	AMEDD	Agronomy
Bernard Koné	AOPP	Agronomy
Amidou Sangaré	DNA	Agronomy
Abdoulaye Sidibé	IPR/IFRA	Agronomy
Mame Anna Traoré	ADAF Gallé	Environmental Management
N'golo TRAORE	APCAM	Veterinary Medicine

Reviewer: Dr Toon Defoer (Belgium), ICRA, Francophone Programme Coordinator

Abstract: In order to contribute to improving the competitivity of the maize cluster in the Circle of Koutiala, the National Capacity Strengthening Team (NCST) implemented this field work by analyzing the constraints to the development of this cluster. This was done using various tools, including the ARD/CASE approach to capitalize and analyze information. The main conclusion is that the complexity of the problematique of this cluster is due to the diversity of internal and external flows of the system and to the interactions within the elements of the system.

An analysis of the links between the stakeholders of the various sub-systems showed mutual support, services, purchasing and selling. Five driving forces were identified: rain fall, supply and demand market, rural credit, cost of agricultural inputs, national and/or regional policies. Three scenarios (voluntaristic, realistic, pessimistic) were formulated and seven strategic options suggested:

• Strengthening stakeholders' networking and their capacities
• Strengthening partnerships among various stakeholders
• Developing and implementing a marketing plan
• Improving the access to agricultural loans and to financial, operational and human resources
• Developing agroindustry
• Improving the availability of information on agricultural clusters
• Improving production technology.

An action plan based on the implementation of strategic options was presented at a workshop and validated by the stakeholders involved in the cluster.

Key words: Maize cluster, competitivity, rural credit, marketing, processing.

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